Digressions on James
by Scutter
Summary: James' episode of the Digressions series, in which each character has a series of ficlets starting with the same sentence. James' sentence is 'James was starting to worry.'
1. Flirting

**Digressions on James**

James' opening sentence is 'James was starting to worry.' Thanks to cymraeg over at Archive of Our Own for this prompt.

* * *

**Flirting**

James was starting to worry. So far, he'd done 100 chin ups without his shirt on, worked on his punching bag for 30 minutes and done 50 push ups in a row. Combine that with the requisite grunting and sweating, and Cortez's gaze should have been glued to him like Sparks' suit clung to her curvy behind.

But no. He was working on the Kodiak, calmly minding his own business, and James was out of ideas to get his attention.

He could just go over and talk to the man, of course, but a friendly 'hi, how are ya?' was the last thing on his mind. Now that Steve had finally said goodbye to Robert, James had decided to make his move. Before, he hadn't wanted to tread on any toes, aware that the wound of losing his husband ran deep… but since Shepard had nudged him out of his grief, Steve had been a lot more fun to work with, more eager to share a beer at the end of the shift, more willing to chat and joke around.

Now, if he could just get the man to stop looking at him like he was a model in a magazine, and start looking at him like he was a real live man, here, now. A real live sweaty man with a semi-erection. Because he just loved that look of firm concentration on Steve's face. Loved the way his voice rumbled like smooth velvet. Loved watching those hands as they gripped his tools, imagining them on his own body-

"Something you need, Mr. Vega?" Steve asked suddenly, and James realised he had been staring at the man for the last few minutes.

"Uh, no," he said quickly, pulling his shirt back on. "Just trying to remember which guns needed maintenance, that's all."

"Shepard's Widow needs some attention," Steve reminded him. "And then the Spike Thrower needs cleaning. Shepard really gave it a work out on that last mission."

"How'd you like to give me a work out?" James murmured under his breath. Maybe he should just tell Steve how he felt, he thought, as he headed for the weapons bench and started dismantling the Widow. But truth be told, he was well out of practice at flirting, and had always been just a touch too shy to make a real go of it anyway. Okay, he had no problem with his own body image, but for most of his life, he'd been on the receiving end of attention. He'd never had to work particularly hard at getting someone else's.

Maybe he should buy Steve a gift? Too obvious, maybe? He could invite him out for a drink, but they often drank together anyway. No, he needed something that would stand out, make him take notice…

"Oh, by the way," Steve called to him from across the shuttle bay, "Garrus said a bunch of the crew are heading out to Purgatory tonight. You interested in coming?"

"Hell yeah," James agreed eagerly. The club had a pulsing life to it that got right into his veins. And he was more than interested in the other type of coming, too, though he didn't say so out loud…

Hours later, James watched as Steve drained his glass, watching his throat swallow, the long, graceful line of his neck, those lips around the glass… and he imagined Steve swallowing around something else, those lips put to work on something far more pleasurable than a drinking vessel.

"Dance with me?" he asked, the words out before he had even realised he had spoken, and Steve looked surprised. As did Joker and Garrus. EDI, as usual, was oblivious to the undercurrents at the table, while Kaidan and Shepard were too busy being wrapped up in each other to care what James was doing.

"Okay," Steve agreed, though he looked a little confused by the invitation, and James stood up, leading them out onto the dance floor.

"I don't often see you dance," Steve observed, once they were lost amid the writhing bodies and flashing lights.

"I've been known to give it a go," James said defensively. "When the mood takes me."

"So what got you in the mood tonight?" Steve asked, those dark eyes locked on James', and his mouth went dry, speechless as the slight hint of suggestion in Steve's voice registered. Okay, so maybe he had noticed his little show earlier…

"Good music," James answered, then dared himself to say more. "Good company. And a reminder that this war could kill us all, so we shouldn't let time just slip away."

"Good company, huh?"

"Good friends," James clarified, wondering how to steer the conversation into more intimate waters.

"Just friends?"

James stopped dancing, seeing the hint of hopefulness in Steve's eyes, the tiny glance that slid down to James' mouth, before righting itself.

"Could be more than friends," he said, feeling breathless and lightheaded. Steve had stopped dancing too, and the two of them stared at each other for what seemed like an hour.

And then James stepped forward, tugged Steve closer, leaned in and kissed him.

"I thought you'd never ask," Steve said, when James pulled back, that voice like velvet, a seductive purr in James' ears.

"Just liked making you wait," James said with a grin. "Make sure you know what you've been missing out on."


	2. Hide and Seek

**Hide and Seek**

James was starting to worry. When Shepard had sent him down into the bowels of the ship to catch his escapee hamster, James had thought it would be a routine trip. Down the stairs, grab the furry critter and shove him back in his box, then up the stairs and present the tamed rodent to its master.

But half an hour later, having chased the damned hamster around the lower engineering deck nine times, he had realised that the hamster wasn't just quick. It was _crafty_. It would let out a squeak, revealing its position… but then as James waited for it to dart out of hiding, it would scurry around behind the crates, and pop up somewhere completely unexpected. He'd tried standing in the middle of the room, ready to dart in any direction, but then the rodent would just run along the walls. He'd tried standing by the walls, but then it would run across the middle of the room. He'd tried sitting down and tempting it with treats, but the hamster had stayed firmly hidden, a furry nose and beady eyes peering out at him from safe cover.

And only now was he figuring out why Shepard hadn't just caught the damn thing himself. There had to be a better way… He'd moved the crates out of the corners, packing them tightly to stop the tiny animal from hiding between them. He'd cleared out everything from under the stairs, giving the hamster no crevices to hide in there. But now it was hiding under the pipes, and short of chasing it with a broom handle, there was little way to get him out. And while the idea of beating the thing to death with the broom was tempting, James really didn't think Shepard would approve.

So he needed a plan… but how did one outwit a hamster? How did hamsters think, anyway.

Well, James reasoned, the thing had been down here for weeks, so it had to be hungry. And if it he could set up some kind of trap, something the hamster wouldn't be aware of until it was too late…

Hmm…

With a plan forming in his mind, James set about moving the crates again, set two of them a foot apart forming a small tunnel between them. Then he perched the cage above the gap… set a small pile of hamster food beneath the upturned cage… and retreated.

Yep, sure enough… there was the little guy, peering out from beneath the pipes. He edged forward… sniffed… edged a little closer, and James breathed slowly, keeping himself utterly still, patient, waiting… a little closer… patience, now…

The hamster crept forward, grabbed a tiny crumb and darted away again. Okay, that's okay, it was progress… and soon enough, he was back, lingering a little longer this time. Beady eyes darted in James' direction, then he scampered off into hiding.

But in less than a minute, he was back again. And this time, he went right up to the pile of food and dug in-

James yanked the crate back, causing the cage to drop… right over the startled little ball of fur. The hamster leapt into the air and tried to race away… only to meet an unyielding wall of glass.

"Heh, too bad, my little friend," James said gleefully, sliding the lid in and under the hamster to pick him up without letting him go. "You play a mean game of hide and seek. But you forgot the first rule about playing with James Vega." He lifted the cage to eye-level, and he could have sworn the hamster was glaring at him. "I always, _always_ win at poker."


	3. The Date

**The Date**

From the Leviathan DLC. Because watching James hold Ann Bryson down like that was just so sexy. He can hold me down any day he likes…

* * *

James was starting to worry. Ann Bryson was stronger than she looked, and he was having trouble holding her still. Or maybe it was Leviathan working through her that gave her the strength.

"Enough!" he snapped at Shepard. "I'm raising the shield."

"Do it," Shepard replied, and he hit the button with relief, cutting off the connection with the artifact in the lab. "EDI, did we get anything?"

"We have preliminary results, but it will take time to search for Leviathan," EDI replied, while James helped Ann to her feet.

"Thank you," Shepard said. "That was a huge help. Are you okay?"

"A bit of a headache," Ann admitted, looking pale.

"I'm taking her to the med lab," James said, and he put an arm around her waist, leading her from the lab without waiting for Shepard's reply. He had enough to deal with already, tracking Leviathan, planning their next move. And Ann needed medical attention. That mind-merge thing had looked brutal.

"Thank you," Ann said weakly, as she leaned on his shoulder. He helped her into a sky car and dashed around to the driver's seat.

"Hey, no problem," James replied, starting the engine. "You doing okay?"

"I'll be fine. Just tired. And cold."

"I can turn the heat up," he offered, and cranked the temperature up a few degrees.

"Thank you," she said again, and James was struck again by the thought that she was a remarkable woman. Strong, resilient, dedicated to her work… and yet there was something fragile and vulnerable about her. Something that very much appealed to the man in him.

An hour later, he was helping her back into the sky car, the doctor having given her a clean bill of health. She'd taken some pain killers for the headache, but there didn't seem to be any other damage, so he was taking her back to her apartment.

"Say, James…" she began, as he pulled up outside her place. "I really appreciate you taking care of me this afternoon. So I was wondering… how would you like to go out for a drink, later?"

James' eyebrows shot up. She was asking him out? Okay, so it wasn't really a _date_ date, just a thank you between colleagues, but it was flattering, none the less. "Uh… sure. I'd love to. Are you sure you're well enough, though?"

"I have a couple of hours between now and then. I'll take a nap, and then I'm sure I'll be fine."

"Okay. Great. I'll pick you up here?"

"I'll look forward to it." She got out of the car and strode away… and James watched her go, her back straight, her legs long, her hips swaying just slightly… wow… he had a date. Coming down to Dr. Bryson's lab had been an excellent idea.

A few hours later, James was surprised at how much he was enjoying himself. Ann was great company. She'd told him stories about the fascinating places she'd visited as a child. Reminisced about her father, both the good and the bad memories. And she'd listened with keen interest to his descriptions of his Alliance training. It sounded like a rough life, she'd said, but she admired the discipline required to see it through.

And James had said that it took discipline to do what she did, tracking down Leviathan, the meticulous work, the painstaking efforts to make sure no stone was left unturned.

She'd blushed and thanked him for the compliment, and James had realised that he was really enjoying the evening. It had been a long time since he'd spent an evening out that didn't involve a club or a game of poker, and this was a refreshing change of pace. Drinks had become dinner, and dinner had lingered on over desert and then coffee, until it was nearing midnight and there was really no excuse to linger any further. "Let me drive you home," James said, and Ann courteously accepted.

It was a quiet ride back to her place, the silence slightly awkward, but tense with anticipation, too. Should he just drop her off and say goodbye? Maybe he could tell her he would come back after they discovered the Leviathan, tell her all about what her research had uncovered. Or should he escort her to her door? But if he walked her to her door, then he would want to kiss her. Hell, he wanted to kiss her already, but that would only make the desire stronger. She wasn't going to invite him in, he was sure. And even if she did, he would say no. It wouldn't be right. She was in a vulnerable place, had had a rough afternoon, and he didn't want to take advantage of her. But just a kiss wasn't taking advantage, was it? That would be okay?

All too soon, James was pulling up outside her apartment, and he got out and opened her door for her, helped her out of the car.

"Thank you," she said, and started walking towards her apartment, seeming to expect him to follow. So he did.

"I really enjoyed tonight," she said shyly, when they reached the entrance. "Thank you. For everything."

"It was a pleasure," James said, feeling bashful and nervous and more desperate than ever to kiss her. "Would you like to know what we find? I mean, _if_ we find Leviathan. If Shepard's on the case, though, you can be pretty sure we will."

"I'd like that," Ann said eagerly. "All this hard work. It would be nice to know it really counted for something."

"Alright. I'll come and visit next time we're around. Tell you all about it. Assuming it's not classified," he added, and she chuckled.

"Of course. The Alliance likes to keep the big secrets to itself."

"It sure does." There was an awkward pause, James waiting for her to go inside, Ann waiting for… he wasn't sure what.

"Could I kiss you?" he asked suddenly, expecting her to say no, to tell him that he had misread her intentions. Maybe even to be offended-

"I'd like that very much," she said softly. And James felt his heart speed up.

So he leaned forward, noticing how much smaller than him she was, and cupped a hand around her neck. And then he let his lips meet hers. She tasted sweet, like her dessert, and warm, her hands shyly resting on his biceps, and he deepened the kiss. She leaned closer, opening her mouth for him, and god, it had been a long time since he'd kissed a woman like this. A gentle, classy, respectable woman, with no intentions other than making her enjoy the kiss for as long as it lasted.

And finally she pulled away, far too soon for James' liking, but with a smile on her lips that made him feel ten feet tall.

"Good night, James," she said shyly, chewing on her lip in a nervous gesture he found utterly endearing. "I hope I see you again some day."

"I hope so, too."

Then she opened the door, and disappeared inside.


	4. Concern and Optimism

**Concern and Optimism**

James was starting to worry. After the fiasco on Mars, they'd delivered Kaidan to Huerta Memorial, made sure he was receiving the very best of care. And Shepard had gone to visit him before they'd left the Citadel. But it was becoming obvious, as they fought their way across Sur'kesh, Cerberus troops seeming to spawn spontaneously around them, that the Commander's mind was not on the battle.

He'd been like this for days, first on Menae, where he'd nearly let himself be mobbed by husks, until James and Liara had stepped in to save him. And then the war summit with the salarian dalatrass and Wrex had been a wreck, Shepard showing up late, barely able to formulate a sensible plan for retrieving the krogan females from Sur'kesh.

James hadn't been working with Shepard for long, but the man had quite the reputation, a brilliant mind to go with the razor sharp fighting skills, if only half the rumors were true…

So where was that keen intellect now? He watched as Shepard took out a trooper, while exposing his back to a centurian, and James flung a grenade out quickly to take the enemy down.

"Hey, Loco! Pay attention to your six, yeah?"

Shepard spun around, seeing the now dead centurian, and swore. "Sorry," he muttered, as Mordin hastened them along via the comm link again. And he seemed to pull himself together, ploughing through troopers, dashing up the stairs, tossing grenades like confetti, and while the three of them – Garrus as their third – managed to free the krogan female long minutes later, it was not one of the most effective battles James had ever been in.

Once they were back on the Normandy, Shepard putting his head together with Victus and Wrex to plan out the mission to Tuchanka, James sought out Liara to ask her advice. She'd known Shepard for a lot longer than James had.

And he hadn't really thought about what he'd been expecting when he'd walked into her computer-filled lab, but somehow he'd thought it would be a longwinded, detailed diatribe on Shepard's skills and experience, a compassionate lecture on how worried he was about earth, about losing this war, maybe with a 'don't start doubting him' thrown in for good measure. He'd wanted reassurance that the Commander had everything under control, his mind in the game, just the sheer scale of the challenge too overwhelming even for the larger-than-life hero.

What he had not been expecting was Liara's tight frown and her reluctant admission that no, Shepard was not at the top of his game.

"He's worried about Kaidan. And I doubt he'll really be able to concentrate on the war until he knows he's going to be okay."

James stared at her like she'd grown a second head. "Loco's all worked up about one soldier? Shit, I mean… Is Alenko really that important? I know they've known each other for a while, but Alenko's not exactly going to win the whole war single handed, is he?"

But what she said next really knocked his socks off. "Shepard's in love with him."

James's jaw dropped. "What?"

"Ever since I've known them, they've had feelings for each other. It wasn't always as obvious as it is now, but-"

"But back on Mars, they were bickering like school children. Seemed to have a real gripe with each other… but wait, hang on… you're saying Loco's dropping the ball in a war that could destroy the entire galaxy because his boyfriend's in the hospital?"

Liara shrugged, not liking the explanation any more than he did. "Yes, I suppose I am."

"Fuck!" Silence descended heavily over them. Then James sighed and pulled himself together. "Right. So what do we do?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, if Shepard needs to know that Kaidan's okay, then shouldn't we… I don't know… hack the hospital medical records, or get Chakwas to call in a favor and find out how he's doing? Come on, Liara, we need Shepard to get his head on straight, or all of us are going to end up in a coma on an operating table, not just Alenko."

Liara perked up at that, turning immediately to one of her consoles. "I can check his medical report," she said, fingers flying over the keys at remarkable speed, and James stopped to wonder what the hell she did in this room. Why so many computers? And how did she know how to hack into Huerta Memorial so easily?

"Here it is," she said, just moments later. "Good news. He woke up for the first time just yesterday. The report says he's critical but stable."

"So now what?"

"I'll take this to show Shepard," Liara said, loading the information onto a data pad. "It's not a whole solution, but it's a good first step."

She shot James a hopeful look and strode out of the room. He watched her go, admiring her courage and poise, the strength that she exuded so effortlessly. Garrus was like that too, and Kaidan had seemed to possess a similar self-confidence, in the brief time they'd worked together. He wondered if it was a coincidence, or whether working with the Commander tended to have that effect on people.

And if so, he thought, with rare optimism, how long it would be before he himself started picking up that same sure, confident stride, that resolute expression that said he was ready to take on the whole galaxy?

But more importantly, what fires would he have to walk through to get there?


End file.
